Stop 2
2A- Speed Porcelain Sign
2B- Sinclair H-C Porcelain Sign
2A – Speed Porcelain Sign
This Speed station pole sign is from a brand that was part of the competitive landscape of the American oil industry. It is an impressive 6 feet tall and double-sided and features the brand’s logo in full, vibrant color. Likely produced between the 1920s and 1940s. The Speed brand, although not as widely recognized today, was part of the wave of smaller oil companies that emerged during the early 20th century’s automotive boom.
The logo on this sign features the word “SPEED” in bold, red capital letters, with a dynamic blue silhouette of a greyhound in mid-leap below it. This design choice reflects the era’s fascination with speed and efficiency, common themes in automotive advertising. The use of a greyhound, an animal synonymous with speed, was a clever marketing move, symbolizing the quick service and high-quality fuel that Speed aimed to provide. This design is part of the evolution of logos where simplicity, bold imagery, and clear messaging became key to brand recognition.
Fun Fact:
In the 1940s, the Speed company offered a quirky promotion where drivers who filled up with their high-octane fuel got a free ‘Speed Pup’ whistle, shaped like a miniature greyhound. It was a hit with kids, who’d blow it out car windows on Route 66, turning gas stops into a howling good time!
This is an important piece of petroliana memorabilia in that it represents smaller brands like Speed that contributed to the early landscape of American road travel before being overshadowed by larger conglomerates.
2B – Sinclair H-C Porcelain Sign
This Sinclair H-C station pole sign is a significant piece of petroliana, representing the Sinclair Oil Corporation, one of the more enduring names in the American oil industry. This sign, with its classic design, dates back to the 1930s to 1950s, a time when Sinclair was expanding its brand presence across the United States. Porcelain enamel signs like this one were popular for their durability and the ability to maintain vibrant colors.
The logo features the Sinclair name in a bold, green arc at the top, with a central red circle containing “H-C” in large white letters, symbolizing Sinclair’s high-quality gasoline. Below, “GASOLINE” is written in green on a white background. This design was part of Sinclair’s branding evolution, moving towards more distinctive and memorable logos to stand out in a crowded market. The use of contrasting colors and the prominent display of “H-C” was indicative of the era’s trend towards creating easily recognizable symbols.
Over the decades, as branding strategies evolved, Sinclair, like many companies, updated its signage. The transition from porcelain enamel to more modern materials like plastic or backlit signs occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. Although Sinclair has maintained its brand, specific designs like the H-C sign were phased out in favor of newer branding, often featuring their famous dinosaur mascot, Dino, more prominently.
Fun Fact:
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